Customer Reviews

Burton on Burton, 2nd Revised Edition

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As one can tell, not only am I truly a Tim Burton fan, but I am also a fan of this well put together ensemble of musings from a person I believe is one of the greatest director's and cinematic visionaries of his time. So in one sense, one might say that I could be biased that I am already a Burton fan. However, as an avid book reader, the subject matter is extremely intriguing and the editorial precise and unbiased.

I think the thing I liked most about this book, is that an overwhelming percentage of the text are in Burton's own words. The editor wraps this nicely in a very smooth flowing readable arch without making many presumptions as to what Burton himself might be thinking. Honestly, this is one book I couldn't, and didn't, put down and it was an extremely satisfying read.

Even as a true "Burtonite", I found myself learning all sorts of interesting little details and insights about the man, that I otherwise would not have garnered on my own. The series of these books have been a gold-label of fascinating reads on directors from all sorts of styles and genres, so it is not surprising that their editor selection is impeccable.

The books covers everything from Burton's idolization of greats like Roger Corman, Vincent Price, Ray Harryhausen and the early Hammer Films. It covers his simple beginnings in the often paradoxical suburbs of Burbank, his "imprisonment" in the Disney system, disdain for the major studio system and ultimate serendipitous events which lead up to him being one of the most highly sought after and most successful directors of our time. On a deeply humanistic note, it delves into his need to connect with something on a personal level on each film he does, his close personal relationships with Johnny Depp, Lisa Marie and Helena Bohnam Carter, among others, and his perception on estrangement with his parents. The book goes on to thoroughly review each of Burton's features which included what he was thinking during all stages of production, including many illustrations often by Burton himself. Finally it sums of his preference to reuse many cast and crew including (but by no means limited too) Christopher Lee, Danny Devito, Rick Heinrichs, Collen Atwood, Chris Lebenzon and Danny Elfman, which is detailed further with explanation of his dislike for verbal communication. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, there are some very intimate moments in this novel from Burton's perspective including his disheartening with the tabloids over rumors of an affair with Helena Bohnam Carter on the set of "Planet of the Apes", his discouragement with the studio system especially in terms of the "Batman" and "Superman" franchises and dealing with the suicide of his friend and "Batman" corroborator, Production Designer Anton Furst.

The back jacket of the book says it succinctly in a quote from Empire "A must for fans", but I beg to differ. This book is not only a must for fans, but anyone looking for a little contemporary documentation on a fascinating individual who is truly one of a kind, despite what you think of his particular brand of aesthetics.

There are several pages of Tim Burton books that you will find on amazon, but I am extremely happy I chose Burton on Burton. The book is very detailed, and beautifully describes all of Burton's most well known films, including: Nightmare before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Batman, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, and many more. Plus it is awesome to be able to read a story about Tim Burton, written by the man himself, and you can definitely see it throughout the book. I highly recommend this to any Tim Burton fan like me,or anyone who appreciates any one of his multitude of films. Definitely a must have!!

Burton on Burton is a great read for anyone who loves Tim's movies and who would like a glimpse into how movies are made. I've always connected to Burton's films because they're unusual and full of heart. I loved walking around in Tim's head for a few days.

I absolutely love Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, so when I saw that the book was about Tim Burton and there was an introduction by Johnny Depp, I had to buy it! The book includes the first foreword Johnny wrote for this book and it also includes the more recent foreword he wrote.

With regards to the wonderful Mr. Burton, this book is a compilation of interviews put together to draw an intensely intimate portrait of him! No website or five minute interview can get more information in it than this book does. The best part about this book is that the words belong to Tim Burton; there are no assumptions of who he is and what he believes according to the writer. "Burton on Burton" chapters are broken up into the movies Tim Burton has created but it also examines what he was doing at the time, how he felt, and what he was thinking when he was in the process of creating his films. Being able to get into the mindset of Tim Burton enhances the enjoyment one acquires while watching his movies. In any case, while I believed some symbols he uses often meant one thing, Tim Burton stresses that they meant something completely beyond the metaphorical condition(s) an audience has set.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone willing to understand Tim Burton and his breathtaking talents. This book is enchantingly captivating and makes you feel as though you truly know Tim Burton by the end of the book. Mark Salisbury (the editor) has surpassed his job in this book and stays true to Tim Burtons words. If you read this book and enjoy it, I would also recommend the more recent, "Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," written by Mark Salisbury and Tim Burton. Everything created by Tim Burton is truly magnificent and this book will allow you to view a more personal side of Tim Burton through the thing(s) he does best: art.

bought this for my son, who's a burton fan. he liked that it's a window into burton's thoughts, but would have liked more illustrations/pics.